Costello College of Business News

91�� professor probes ‘Labubu economics’

Katelynn C Hipolito — Tue, 02 Jun 2026 15:03:55 +0000

91�� professor probes ‘Labubu economics’ Katelynn C Hipolito Tue, 06/02/2026 - 11:03

The billion-dollar Labubu phenomenon broke a cardinal rule of retail: Consumers need to know what they’re buying before they open their wallet. Most new Labubu sales took the form of “blind boxes,” where purchasers found out which type of doll they’d purchased only after the fact.

Zhechao Yang, assistant professor of information systems and operations management at Costello College of Business at 91��. Photo by Jeffrey Porovich/Costello College of Business.

Zhechao Yang, assistant professor of information systems and operations management at the Costello College of Business at 91��, says that the “blind box” strategy, or “probabilistic selling” in academic terminology, is a rapidly growing global phenomenon that goes way beyond Labubu. Her recently published paper in Manufacturing & Service Operations Management examines how, and why, this emerging strategy has worked for toymakers, car rental companies and booksellers alike—while delighting customers willing to pay for a surprise.

The paper was co-authored by Hongseok Jang of Tulane University and Xiajun Amy Pan of University of Florida.

The researchers used game-theoretic modeling to analyze the interactions of suppliers, retailers and customers in a market where a manufacturer sells through a retailer. In this realistic setup, a supplier offers an assortment of products ranging from high- to low-quality at wholesale prices, which retailers seek to sell to consumers at the highest possible profit. Either the retailer or the supplier can choose to initiate probabilistic selling (PS), selecting some mixture of high- and low-quality products to go in the “blind boxes.”

Yang and her co-authors noted that PS can improve profits for retailers and suppliers in a number of ways. “One is the market expansion effect,” Yang explains. “If there is an excess of high-quality products that consumers are not buying, they can be combined with low-quality products to form a new product, via PS…Another way is through strategic differentiation, essentially preventing the excess high-quality products from experiencing price convergence with lower-quality products.”

But PS’ profitability potential is far from uniform. As the paper clarifies, it can vary greatly with the context, based particularly on two elements: whether PS is retailer- or supplier-led, and whether high-value products are abundant or scarce.

The researchers found that transaction costs—the extra costs of creating and selling blind boxes—were one of the main determining factors. Whichever party initiates PS will have to bear certain costs, which may include the labor required to assemble “blind boxes,” and additional fulfillment, inventory and logistics costs. Additionally, Yang says, “There could be financial and accounting costs associated with adding new products.”

When retailers take it upon themselves to introduce PS, the associated transaction costs can reshape upstream pricing. Anticipating those costs, the supplier may lower the wholesale price of high-quality products to make the blind-box strategy viable for the retailer. This can help the retailer, but it also reduces the supplier’s margin and may make retailer-led PS unattractive to the supplier under some conditions.

When retailers take the lead, they will adjust the product mix for PS based on balancing transaction costs against the likelihood of product cannibalization—a trade-off that may give rise to more shortsighted choices.

On the other hand, supplier-led PS gives the supplier more control over both the blind-box mix and the wholesale terms. Also, by adjusting the number of high-quality products that will go in the “blind boxes,” the supplier can maximize price differentiation, thus increasing profits.

“When the supplier leads the strategy, it can reduce the channel inefficiency,” Yang says. “In the model, the supplier can control both the product mix inside the blind box and the wholesale terms offered to the retailer. That can make it easier to manage cannibalization and preserve the value of high-quality products.”

The importance of supplier-led PS becomes especially clear when high-value products are scarce. In that setting, the paper shows that firms should use the limited high-value capacity on “blind boxes” rather than sell those products separately.

Thus, the paper concludes that supplier-led PS, unlike the retailer-led variety, can create a “win-win-win” scenario where the supplier and retailer both earn higher profits, market coverage expands, and consumers benefit from access to a broader set of purchasing options.

However, power plays a significant role in real-world decisions around PS. “In reality, major retailers like Amazon may have more bargaining power, more pricing power. The high-level assumption we give this model is that when the retailer is more powerful, the retailer gets the first opportunity to decide whether to introduce PS., but that doesn’t mean it’s the best option for the whole supply chain,” Yang says.

“It’s better for the two parties to have some conversation before deciding who will take the power at the very beginning. Large retailers may have some advantages, but sometimes it’s better to give this power to the supplier.”

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MS in Finance alum built a career foundation through academic engagement

Katelynn C Hipolito — Thu, 14 May 2026 14:07:40 +0000

MS in Finance alum built a career foundation through academic engagement Katelynn C Hipolito Thu, 05/14/2026 - 10:07

During his undergraduate studies, Brian Gaydos, MS Finance ’25, took several finance classes that piqued his interest and led him to consider beginning a finance graduate program immediately after graduating.

Brian Gaydos, MS Finance ’25. Photo by Hannah Patterson/Costello College of Business

After learning about the faculty’s academic research and industry experience, as well as the campus’s location and the program’s convenience, his decision was sealed, and he enrolled in the Master of Science in F inance program at the Costello College of Business at 91��.

“George Mason has a great recruiting base. I think that attending these networking events is something that really helped kickstart my career.”

— Brian Gaydos, MS Finance ’25

In the hybrid program, Gaydos made sure to attend in person almost every time, taking two classes at a time each eight-week semester. He found the faculty exceeded his expectations, especially in the courses taught by Tiago Requeijo, instructional assistant professor of finance, and Derek Horstmeyer, instructional professor of finance.

Gaydos took Statistical and Quantitative Methods for Finance, as well as Managerial Economics and Decisions of the Firm, with Requeijo. In Quantitative Methods, he developed a strong foundation in applying statistical and quantitative techniques to financial data, strengthening his ability to analyze trends and make data-driven decisions using Python. Through Managerial Economics, he gained a deeper understanding of how firms approach pricing, cost structures, and strategic decision-making in competitive markets. Together, these classes played a key role in shaping his ability to approach financial and business problems with both analytical rigor and a strategic perspective.

Gaydos was also particularly impacted by classes and mentorship from Horstmeyer. In the Student Managed Investment Fund course, students actively manage a real investment portfolio, conduct equity research, and present investment recommendations. Through this experience, Gaydos gained hands-on exposure to portfolio construction, valuation, and risk analysis while developing the ability to communicate and defend investment ideas in a professional setting. The course emphasized real-world application, requiring students to collaborate on investment decisions and engage with financial tools and market data. Gaydos also completed research assistant work for Horstmeyer, which was published in The Wall Street Journal.

While enrolled at Costello, Gaydos gained another perspective on the material he was studying and researching as a teaching assistant for two 400-level finance courses. “When you’re on the side where you’re explaining and teaching concepts to other people, it really reinforces your own learning. As you answer questions, it makes you think deeply about the material,” he says.

Among Gaydos’s favorite experiences at Costello was the Costello Fellows on Wall Street trip to New York City, where he visited several firms and networked with local alumni. He took advantage of many other opportunities including joining the Mason Consulting Group and competing in the CFA Research Challenge. In addition to these extracurricular experiences, Gaydos attended networking events, like the Meet the Firms on-campus event, where he made a connection that led to landing a financial analyst role shortly after graduating. “George Mason has a great recruiting base,” he says. “I think that attending these networking events is something that really helped kickstart my career.”

Currently, Gaydos is a financial analyst at Brookfield Residential, a leading North American land developer and homebuilder for more than 65 years. His chief responsibilities revolve around conducting competitive analyses for single-family housing communities across the Northeast, performing variance analyses, and supporting quarterly financial reporting.

“It’s interesting to be able to see inside the business and to plan ahead strategically,” he says. Financial modeling skills that he developed in his corporate finance class, such as forecasting and valuation, have become integral to his role.

By taking advantage of experiential learning opportunities, student organizations, research roles, and networking events, Brian Gaydos forged connections and deepened his understanding of finance, ensuring that his education was not limited to the classroom. He is particularly interested in exploring fields such as investment banking, private equity, and corporate strategy, where he can apply his financial modeling and analytical skills to evaluate investments, drive strategic decisions, and create long-term value. As he continues his professional journey, Gaydos remains confident that the strong foundation he built at Costello will continue to support his career success.

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Students step into the world of investment banking through Costello Fellows on Wall Street

Katelynn C Hipolito — Wed, 13 May 2026 14:52:31 +0000

Students step into the world of investment banking through Costello Fellows on Wall Street Katelynn C Hipolito Wed, 05/13/2026 - 10:52

To learn through experience and gain a competitive edge, finance and accounting students from the Costello College of Business at 91�� participated in the Costello Fellows on Wall Street program, connecting with major financial services firms and alumni in New York City. What has become an annual tradition continues to grow, with participation expanding significantly—from 10 students in previous years to approximately 30 this year.

Costello College of Business alumni networking. Photo by Alina Alam

Using his extensive connections, the trip this past April was organized by Derek Horstmeyer, an instructional professor of finance at the Costello College of Business, who is also the co-founder and director of the Montano Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF). SMIF is an all-equity fund administered by select finance students at Costello. Those selected as officers are responsible for managing a $492,000 portfolio.

Additionally, Costello offers a SMIF course taught by Horstmeyer, where students learn about the decision-making process involved in managing the fund. Along with other students who seized the funded opportunity to visit Wall Street, many of the participants were members of SMIF.

“A lot of these firms will give you the same experience by flying you out to private recruitment events, but those programs are really competitive, and sometimes they don’t consider you because of your major, year, or some other location factor.”

—Alina Alam, current accounting student at the Costello College of Business at 91��

Costello College of Business alumni reception signage. Photo by Alina Alam.

Alina Alam, a senior studying accounting, first learned about SMIF as a freshman and decided to get involved. She was accepted through the rigorous interview process for her final semester as an undergraduate student. As SMIF’s director of marketing, she documented the trip, capturing photos and moments to share across the organization’s rapidly growing social media platforms.

Over the two-day event, the group moved quickly from firm to firm with a packed itinerary. On the first day, they visited Raymond James, Oppenheimer, and S&P Global, and attended an alumni mixer in the West Village organized by the Costello Alumni Chapter featuring a panel of firm representatives—Manya Vij, BS Finance ‘21; Jannat Bhinder, MS Business Administration and Management ‘18; Megan Farina, BS Management Information Systems '01; and Michael Marino, BA ‘11. The next day consisted of visits to Wolfe Research (an equity research firm), J.P. Morgan, and BMS Capital.

Costello College of Business alumni panel. Photo by Alina Alam.

Many of the students participating in Costello Fellows on Wall Street rank among the top of their class and are applying—or planning to apply—to internships at firms on the trip itinerary. Experiencing the offices firsthand and engaging with professionals across varying levels of seniority provided invaluable insight into the careers they are preparing to pursue.

“A lot of these firms will give you the same experience by flying you out to private recruitment events, but those programs are really competitive, and sometimes they don’t consider you because of your major, year, or some other location factor,” says Alam.

She found tremendous value in the office visits in terms of networking and sharing information with other students. “The students who were on the trip, even the really shy, introverted ones, opened up, and they made friends with the people on the trip,” she says. “If you know people within your major, it gives you an upper hand in so many ways because you know exactly how to get more involved with on-campus organizations like the SMIF once you return from the trip.”

Costello Fellows on Wall Street program student participants. Photo by Alina Alam.

For students interested in working in the highly competitive world of investment banking and equity research, Costello Fellows on Wall Street offers a highly impactful experiential learning opportunity. Throughout the trip, the students learned from finance professionals—many of them alumni—and from each other about the actions they need to take to become stronger job candidates and stand out from the crowd. They are not waiting for firms to come to them—they are blazing a pathway and meeting them where they are.

To get involved with the SMIF, follow them on Instagram @smifgmu or access their official website www.smif.business.gmu.edu to learn more.

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The power of showing up: How this Honors College student built a career by seizing every opportunity

Katarina Benson — Tue, 12 May 2026 17:30:08 +0000

The power of showing up: How this Honors College student built a career by seizing every opportunity Katarina Benson Tue, 05/12/2026 - 13:30

For Honors College student and University Scholar Monica Amaya, the journey to a degree isn’t just about the final walk across the stage—it’s about a promise she made to her family and herself years ago.

Monica Amaya is an Honors College student and a University Scholar.

Amaya first got involved with George Mason’s Early Identification Program (EIP) as an eighth-grader. When she graduated from Manassas Park High School in 2022, she knew she had the skills to succeed in college, and she credits EIP with giving her the support and the road map to get there.

"The program pushed me and motivated me so I could set an example for my younger siblings," she said in 2022. "We can do anything if we work hard."

When she arrived at George Mason, Amaya dove into the innovation and technology of the Northern Virginia and D.C. area. Immersed in an environment that aligned with her passion for data and national security, she pursued a BS in business with a concentration in management information systems.

She also took advantage of a wide range of other opportunities at George Mason. After attending an Honors College roundtable in 2024, she networked with leaders in her industry. That event was part of the Honors College Professional Development Fellows program, a series of workshops that help students in the program craft their resumes, build their LinkedIn profiles, practice interviewing, and otherwise prepare for internship and career opportunities.

“Showing up is only the first step,” Amaya said. “The most impactful step is really what you make out of the opportunity, who you get to meet, and making those connections.” 

As a recipient of scholarships from the Costello College of Business, she was able to meet and network with industry leaders at donor appreciation events. A data analytics internship at CACI International through the CACI Scholars Program in summer 2024 paved the way for the full-time role as a software developer she will begin after graduation in May.

In a full-circle moment, Amaya served as a peer mentor with EIP during her time at George Mason, becoming a guide for freshmen and sophomores, helping them navigate the same academic hurdles she had once faced.

Amaya speaking at the Board of Visitors meeting. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

"Truly, what I’m most proud of is what I’ve made out of my experiences," Amaya said.

Her leadership also led her to the podium as a student speaker for the EIP at the recent Board of Visitors meeting, where she shared her story of resilience with the next generation of dreamers.

“For me, EIP was not just a program, it was a foundation that made my journey to and through George Mason possible,” she said. “EIP is not just about access—it helps students build confidence and the mindset to succeed, not only in college but beyond.”

For Amaya, graduation isn't the end—it’s the ultimate proof that with the right support and a relentless work ethic, any dream is within reach.

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For this Costello senior, good business is a win-win

sholla4 — Thu, 07 May 2026 19:44:03 +0000

For this Costello senior, good business is a win-win sholla4 Thu, 05/07/2026 - 15:44

Senior Khaled Alkurd is ending his undergraduate career on a high note.

Photo provided

In the past few months, the Costello College of Business student won the Future Founders track at the 2026 Patriot Pitch for his company DealFax, an operational readiness assessment platform that helps business owners prepare for sale through their trusted advisors; got first place in the AGA’s National Datathon; and landed second place in the Management Consulted’s Case Competition World Cup out of 1,100 applicants. It’s a testament to his drive and track record in business, speeding up instead of slowing down as he approaches graduation.

As Alkurd prepares to cross the stage and dive fully into an MS in accounting with a focus on analytics and forensic accounting through the Bachelor’s to Accelerated Master’s (BAM) pathway, he spoke about his undergraduate journey at George Mason and the importance of business as a force for good.

Choosing the Patriot path

George Mason is ranked highly for its internship availability and outcomes, and that was key for me. The connections that George Mason can afford students are very strong, with so many major companies: Amazon, Capital One, Deloitte, etc. Folks can sample from a few of them or build really deep relationships with one. The opportunity is unmatched.

As for why I chose accounting: a decade of operating my family’s home inspection business NextDay Inspect taught me that financials drive every meaningful decision in a business. I wanted to understand that language at depth, especially the analytical and forensic side. Beyond the technical work, I gravitate toward business as a force for good. Done well, business is win-win. People walk away better off than before they engaged.

A great place for internships

I’ve had the opportunity to work with Ryan and Wetmore, Baker Tilly, and will be with PwC’s Deals practice this summer in Financial Due Diligence as I bridge into the MS program through BAM. The Office of Career Services in Costello has been amazing in their support. They reviewed my resume and cordoned off a private room for me to conduct Zoom interviews.

Overall, the support at George Mason is tremendous. It’s a big university, but it feels like a family. And Costello College of Business is really well equipped to deliver results, so there’s no expectations that are set that are not met. I’m very thankful for all the support.

Alkurd after receiving the Patriot Pitch Future Founders track award. Photo by John Boal Photography

From classroom to community

I am particularly proud of the work we’ve done through Beta Alpha Psi Theta Alpha, the accounting honors organization, for which I served as president this past year. We’ve been able to engage with the community through volunteering with the Junior Achievement Finance Park, where we’ve reached 960 eighth-grade students through teaching early financial literacy. Not only have I seen our volunteers grow as leaders and take ownership of those trainings, but I think learning how to educate and craft the message of finance in a way that is tailored for the audience is an incredibly important skill we improve through this work.

Fighting fires while forging skills

I joined Leesburg Volunteer Fire Company in 2008 when I was 16 and served for three and a half years. Now, I’m in the final stages of joining Sterling Volunteer Fire Company.

The job rewires how you think. Each scenario drops you into a chaotic situation and teaches you to stop reacting and start reading the room to figure out what is a priority and what can wait. On a call, you learn to gather information fast, communicate clearly, and trust the people next to you. Both those skills carry into how I approach client work.

Advice for the next generation of George Mason Patriots

Start early. There are experiences you can only get as freshmen and sophomores, like early pathway programs or externships. There’s so much you’ll miss by not engaging in student organizations; it’s an entirely different conversation than in the classroom, and it’s one you don’t want to miss out on because it’s helping with that connection to additional opportunity.

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91��'s Costello College of Business and NABA Inc. join forces to develop the business leaders of tomorrow

Katelynn C Hipolito — Wed, 06 May 2026 19:02:19 +0000

91��'s Costello College of Business and NABA Inc. join forces to develop the business leaders of tomorrow Katelynn C Hipolito Wed, 05/06/2026 - 15:02

The Costello College of Business at 91�� and NABA Inc. today announced a new three-year community partnership grounded in a shared belief: when students, educators, and industry leaders grow together, entire communities—and the businesses that serve them—thrive. The collaboration will strengthen professional development, open new pathways for student success, and deepen connections across the regional and national business community.

Guylaine Saint Juste BA ‘94 (lower right), president and CEO, NABA Inc. is shown with panelists following a discussion focused on the people, policy, and leadership implications of AI adoption during Costello’s inaugural AI Symposium in October. Joining her on stage were (left to right): ) Interim Provost and Executive Vice President Ajay Vinzé, Associate Dean Patrick Soleymani, BS ’07, MBA ’09, Interim Dean Cheryl Druehl, Deloitte Principal Tasha Austin-Williams, Nashville Analytics CEO and co-founder James Suh, George Mason Chief AI Officer Amarda Shehu, and Boston Consulting Group Partner and Associate Director Rajiv Shenoy. Photo by Hannah Patterson/Costello College of Business.

The partnership will also create more points of connection between students, faculty, alumni, and business leaders. NABA Inc. will attend signature Costello events, including the Corporate and Community Partner Luncheon, Patriot Pitch Competition, and the Annual Business Celebration, designed to spark conversation, strengthen networks, and accelerate shared impact. A dedicated concierge service from Costello will support seamless engagement and ongoing collaboration with business faculty and students.

“Professional development is not a single event—it’s a promise we make to our students and to the business community. By working alongside NABA, we’re expanding access to mentorship, experiences, and networks that help talent flourish. When we invest in people and build community through collaboration, we create the conditions for consistent, long-term success—for our students, our partners, and the region we all share.”

—Patrick Soleymani, associate dean for outreach and strategic engagement at the Costello College of Business

NABA will recognize the Costello College of Business as the “Exclusive Academic Partner for NABA” on its website and in annual conference materials, amplifying the business college’s role in preparing the next generation of leaders. The partnership also expands opportunities for Costello students and faculty to engage with a national community of professionals through a premier presence at the NABA Annual Conference for the next three years.

“Professional development is not a single event—it’s a promise we make to our students and to the business community,” said Patrick Soleymani, associate dean for outreach and strategic engagement at the Costello College of Business. “By working alongside NABA, we’re expanding access to mentorship, experiences, and networks that help talent flourish. When we invest in people and build community through collaboration, we create the conditions for consistent, long-term success—for our students, our partners, and the region we all share.”

Guylaine Saint Juste, president and CEO of NABA Inc., added, “We are at an inflection point in business and in higher education. Students who are preparing to enter the workforce now are navigating a world that looks nothing like the one most of us trained for. This partnership ensures that they are not navigating it alone. They will be part of a community that invests in them and holds them to the highest standard.”

The partnership is effective from April 2026 through April 2029.

NABA Inc. is a leading organization dedicated to bridging the opportunity gap for underserved professionals in accounting, finance, data-analysis, AI, and related business professions.

For more information, please contact: Costello College of Business, Office of Advancement and Alumni Relations: 703-993-1176

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The mindset shift that will move you from “manager” to “leader”

Katelynn C Hipolito — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 17:55:07 +0000

The mindset shift that will move you from “manager” to “leader” Katelynn C Hipolito Wed, 04/29/2026 - 13:55

Most managers are promoted because of their good individual performance. Such a mindset—that one’s own performance is the most important—is devilishly difficult to change, however, and employees suffer.

Kevin Rockmann. Photo by Jeffrey Porovich/Costello College of Business.

“It’s a hard lesson to learn, but the job of the manager actually is to help others do their job: Select them, guide them, help them, train them, but ultimately let them thrive and achieve. Not easy for someone who has reached the pinnacle by doing things themselves,” says Kevin Rockmann, assistant dean for research, professor of management, and the CGI Corporate Partner Faculty Fellow at Costello College of Business at 91��.

Rockmann’s research focuses on the brighter side of employee relationships—bonds that, without crossing any lines of propriety, promote trust and mutually beneficial collaborations. It is both common knowledge and common sense that organizations that prioritize such relationships benefit from greater employee engagement, higher retention, and enhanced productivity, among other positive effects.

No wonder business leaders wax rhapsodic about the importance of healthy working relationships between managers and employees. But Rockmann's research shows that in most cases, such talk exists in inverse proportion to the amount of attention managers actually devote to relationships and relationship dynamics. In the battle for managerial bandwidth, relationships routinely lose out to more immediate bottom-line issues (e.g., whether the "work" is getting done).

“It’s a hard lesson to learn, but the job of the manager actually is to help others do their job: Select them, guide them, help them, train them, but ultimately let them thrive and achieve. Not easy for someone who has reached the pinnacle by doing things themselves.”

— Kevin Rockmann, assistant dean for research, professor of management, and the CGI Corporate Partner Faculty Fellow at Costello College of Business at 91��

“Most of what bosses say about their ‘collaborative’ and ‘close-knit’ corporate culture is a form of gaslighting. And employees know it, which serves only to alienate them. That’s a major reason why disenchantment and disengagement are running rampant in today’s organizations,” Rockmann says.

In a recent executive development training involving a national fast-casual dining chain, Rockmann and his team took steps to address this. Participants were assigned to focus on the relational aspects of their job, intervene where necessary and document their results. Such outcomes not only were inspiring but also translate easily to any organization. “Giving systematic attention to relationships not only improved the interpersonal atmosphere in their units but also helped them personally and professionally in four main ways,” Rockmann says.

#1 Deeper, higher-level conversations. As Rockmann tells it, concentrating on relationships changed the nature of the participants’ conversations at work. “Instead of seeing things purely from their own individual point of view, they gained a more all-around perspective based on the input of others,” he says. Managers asked first for thoughts and ideas regarding problem areas rather than punishing or criticizing. This elevated their awareness from a limited focus on what most directly affected them to a broader mindset encompassing more of their context and environment.

#2 Less reactive decision-making. Relational attention separated stimulus from response, leading to less reactionary and more thoughtful responses during meetings and email exchanges. One regional manager was able to do this consistently with his people and found himself “not as angry” and that his people were taking greater ownership over their actions. As a result, decision-making became less knee-jerk, more deliberate, and ultimately more effective from a strategic standpoint.

#3 Reinventing restrictive roles. The new orientation enabled participants to engage in more intentional “relational job crafting,” whereby they began to embrace unprecedented partnerships and collaborations. One of the participants in HR connected with another in IT during the program and started to plan out trainings they could build together. Being together in a learning environment created possibilities for these types of solutions, simply by virtue of paying attention to interdependencies between individuals and teams.

#4 Escaping middle-manager entrapment. The participants were able to escape the trap that ensnares many a middle manager and prevents them from rising—namely, getting stuck playing caretaker or being the “answer man” for their teams. For example, one participant noted that her tendency was to solve problems right away, especially for other people. By relaxing this she was able to empower others in her team and grow their confidence. Forced to look outward and focus on how their teams were relating, they readily identified trusted and reliable team members who were natural candidates for greater responsibility. “This removed the sense of risk that often prevents managers from delegating day-to-day and, by extension, keeps them putting out fires instead of aiming higher. They moved from saying ‘fix things this way’ to asking ‘what do you think is the best way to address this issue?’, Rockmann says.

While these individuals in the exercise were in the food industry, Rockmann believes the leadership lessons to be learned here are universal.

Rockmann notes: “When managers take the focus off themselves and their own achievements so that they can pay close attention to others, they effectively step off the stage and enter the balcony. They remove themselves from the play and can see better what is going on around them. They become attuned and responsive to the complex relational environment and can confidently coach their people through it, ultimately bringing themselves, their teams, and their organization more success.”

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In both business and BMX courses, Cutter Williams' grit shines through

sholla4 — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 15:02:21 +0000

In both business and BMX courses, Cutter Williams' grit shines through sholla4 Tue, 04/28/2026 - 11:02

From business to BMX, 91�� student Cutter Williams has been carving his own path since his first race on the track.

Cutter Williams. Photo by Nico van Dartel

BMX (bicycle motorcross) is a form of bicycle racing where competitors race simultaneously through a challenging course of banked turns, jumps, hills, and rollers (small hills that can’t be jumped). A lap around the track takes about 30-40 seconds, and, according to Williams, is “like a roller coaster.”

Williams, hailing from Great Falls, Virginia, got his first taste of that thrill when he was 7 and a friend invited him to a BMX track on a competition day. Williams already had plenty of miles under his mountain bike wheels by then. BMX, though, was “magic.” One of the managers saw him on the course before the competition and encouraged him to sign up for the race.

He won.

He’s been chasing that gold ever since.

“By first or second grade, I knew I wanted to be a professional athlete,” Williams said. “It was just one of those times when you just know it’s going to happen.”

He was right. In 2024, Williams won the national championship, pushing his way up from third place to take the race at the stripe. He won bronze at the 2026 national championship. Now, he’s got his eyes on the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California.

Trophies and medals aren’t the only prizes on Williams’ mind. He’s also racing toward a degree in finance from Costello College of Business, taking online courses between training and competitions.

Photo provided

“Ever since I was a kid, I’ve been interested in numbers and data,” he said. “Business 100, that first class in the curriculum, really just sealed the deal for me that this is what I wanted to do.”

Being a professional athlete is a full-time job. Williams puts in six days a week of training between conditioning and riding the track. But school, he says, always comes first.

“BMX will take you far, but you can only do BMX for so long," he said.

Williams is taking advantage of the breadth of courses offered at George Mason to support his career. He's taken nutrition courses to learn to optimize his diet for training and racing. After traveling to Argentina, Colombia, and Chile for races, he signed up for Spanish courses to be able to better experience the culture next time he races there.

“It’s easy to be integrated into school while also balancing a career,” Williams said. “The way the classes are set up, how easy it is to log in and check my Mason pathway: It’s so accessible. And my professors have been very welcoming and supportive of my career.”

Qualifications for the Olympics begin at the end of this year. Williams hopes to seal World Cup and World Championship wins to get one of the coveted Team USA spots. But like he said: School comes first. He’s hoping to spend the summer before the Olympics in an internship.

“George Mason has just been really great,” he said. “I’m thankful I can still do what I love while preparing for the future.”

Williams, right, after winning bronze at the 2026 national championship. Photo provided.

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Innovation takes center stage at this year’s Patriot Pitch Competition

Katelynn C Hipolito — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 18:12:27 +0000

Innovation takes center stage at this year’s Patriot Pitch Competition Katelynn C Hipolito Fri, 04/24/2026 - 14:12

On Thursday, April 9, 2026, students, faculty, alumni, and other stakeholders from across the 91�� community gathered to cheer on the final teams of entrepreneurs competing in this year’s Patriot Pitch Competition, including those featured in the competition’s newly introduced Regional Showcase.

Attendees explore the tables at the Regional Showcase. Photo by John Boal Photography.

As a core component of the Patriot Pitch Competition, the Regional Showcase expanded the event’s reach by highlighting innovation from George Mason alumni, previous pitch competition teams, and community entrepreneurs who have graduated from entrepreneurship training programs led by the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) within the Costello College of Business at 91��.

“The Patriot Pitch Competition is an event where innovation takes center stage. It is a time when 91�� students, faculty, and staff come together in collaboration with our alumni, business community, sponsors, and many others to support our emerging entrepreneurs—many of whom will go on to play key roles in the vibrant and thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem that is driving the growth of our regional economy.”

—Cheryl Druehl, interim dean of the Costello College of Business

Cheryl Druehl, interim dean of Costello College of Business. Photo by John Boal Photography.

“The Patriot Pitch Competition is an event where innovation takes center stage,” said Cheryl Druehl, interim dean of the Costello College of Business. “It is a time when 91�� students, faculty, and staff come together in collaboration with our alumni, business community, sponsors, and many others to support our emerging entrepreneurs—many of whom will go on to play key roles in the vibrant and thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem that is driving the growth of our regional economy.”

Omar Solimon joins a keynote discussion with Jabs Totonji, BS '12. Photo by John Boal Photography.

Omar Soliman, co-founder of College H.U.N.K.S. Hauling Junk and Moving, published author, TV personality, and entrepreneur, joined Jabs Toto nji, BS ’12, chief investment officer at Golden Eagle Group Inc., for a keynote discussion about Soliman’s entrepreneurial journey—from his participation in a business pitch competition at his alma mater, to his appearance on the first episode of Shark Tank, to building his company into one of the fastest-growing franchises in the nation, employing more than 10,000 people. In addition to answering audience questions, Soliman emphasized the importance of hiring people with positive attitudes who get things done and healthy conflict in yielding positive results.

Of the 63 applications submitted for this year’s competition, eight teams advanced to the final round—two finalists in each of the four competition tracks—while 16 businesses competed for prize money in the Regional Showcase, all vying for a share of the $60,000 total prize pool.

For each of the four competition tracks, two finalist teams delivered five-minute pitches before a panel of judges and a packed room of spectators, followed by five minutes of Q&A from the judges.

While the judges were deliberating, attendees explored the Regional Showcase and cast votes for entrepreneurs who hosted tables and were competing for prize money. Audience members also voted for the Patriots’ Choice Awards, with ArcAid and EduVerse each earning an additional $5,000 on top of their first-place winnings and bringing their total awards to $13,000.

MBA student Bailey Mahoney presents his pitch for AgentForge, Inc. Photo by John Boal Photography.

Once deliberations were completed, the final prizes were announced. In the Innovative Ideas track, AgentForge, Inc. (Bailey Mahoney and Sahger Lad) took first place, while ExcelATC (Noran Megatheh, Alana Khem, Nathanael Davis, and Zach Cacace) earned second place. In the Social Impact track, ArcAid (Hocine Filali, Nesma Khalafalla, Alan Garcia, and Amr Hamza) won first place, followed by CareAble (Britney Orellana-Ochoa, Amy Mayeaux, and William Echols) in second. DealFax (Khaled Alkurd) received first place in the Future Founders track, with PawNutri360 (Supreet Singh and Conor Mangum) placing second. Finally, in the Early-Stage Ventures track, EduVerse (Jagan Yetukuri) took first place, and Rumi Legacy Schools (Wida Saber, Ahmad Khaled, and Noori Shukria Saber) earned second.

Each of the winning teams was welcomed to the stage by awards ceremony emcee George Schindler, a member of the 91�� Board of Visitors, where they posed for photos with sponsors, the George Mason Patriot mascot, and their giant checks.

“We’re proud to celebrate the makers, dreamers, and doers shaping our region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem,” said Patrick Soleymani, associate dean for outreach and strategic engagement at the Costello College of Business. “Innovation has always been humanity’s greatest team sport—and here at Costello, we’re playing to win.”

The Patriot Pitch Competition reached new heights this year, drawing more than 275 attendees—an achievement made possible through a true team effort. In addition to the dedicated work of the Costello and CIE staff members, there were nearly 200 individuals and organizations actively engaged in the program, including pitch teams, mentors, judges, emcees, speakers, and sponsors.

This year’s Patriot Pitch Competition was led by the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship within the Costello College of Business and was presented by 22nd Century Technologies Inc. Funding for the competition was provided through a subsidiary of the Donald G. Costello Declaration of Trust and the Sara Costello Exempt Trust, Joseph J. Contrucci, Trustee. Among the distinguished business and community supporters in attendance were Joe and Peg Contrucci; Sara Costello; and Anil Sharma, CEO of 22nd Century Technologies Inc., all of whom were able to witness the impact of their investment in supporting George Mason’s emerging entrepreneurs.

This year’s Patriot Pitch Competition was also made possible through the generous support of sponsors that included:

Innovative Ideas Track: College of Engineering and Computing, 91��
Social Impact Track: Lynn Alexis Lee Corey Prize for Social Entrepreneurship
Future Founders Track: Fairfax City Economic Development Authority
Early-Stage Ventures Track: Char’d
Patriots’ Choice Award: Costello College of Business Alumni Chapter, 91��
Patriot Sponsor: Fairfax County Economic Development Authority

Beyond rewarding bold ideas and emerging business ventures, the 2026 Patriot Pitch Competition celebrated the innovative spirit that continues to define the Costello College of Business and 91�� entrepreneurial communities.

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Can machine learning make the world a fairer place?

Katelynn C Hipolito — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 15:08:00 +0000

Can machine learning make the world a fairer place? Katelynn C Hipolito Wed, 04/22/2026 - 11:08

A paradox hovers over our increasingly AI-dependent world. On the one hand, artificial intelligence can make the world a better place (or so we’re told). On the other hand, algorithms have no imagination or consciousness, and thus can know only the status quo—as reflected in the data they are trained on. And our current world is far from perfectly meritocratic or fair.

Jingyuan Yang. Photo by Jeffrey Porovich/Costello College of Business.

Jingyuan Yang, assistant professor of information systems and operations management at Costello College of Business at 91��, suggests that the paradox is compounded by conventional thinking around AI. “The standard view is that fairness is a tax on efficiency. The way conventional systems are structured, fairness checks are added almost as an afterthought that is assumed to negatively impact system performance,” she says.

Is the “better,” optimized world of AI destined to replicate, or perhaps even exacerbate, existing inequalities? Yang’s ongoing research—in collaboration with Pengzhan Guo of Duke Kunshan University and Keli Xiao of Stony Brook University—points to an appealing alternative. It uses AI systems as a proving ground for a theorized “fairness-performance complementarity”—the idea that, under certain conditions, fairness and performance reinforce one another.

“Our 'fairness-by-design’ framework utilizes reinforcement learning, which is a type of machine learning (ML). But unlike most machine learning algorithms, ours includes multiple agents competing for finite resources in a dynamic environment, not a static one,” Yang says. “That makes our paradigm much more structurally similar to many real-world environments in which various people compete over time for finite resources.”

Fairness was integrated in two stages. First, the framework was designed to “nudge” high-performing agents towards exploratory choices that might maximize their rewards. As Yang explains, “In this framework, high-performing agents are held in an exploratory mode for longer, while lower-performing agents settle into stable paths sooner.” Second, options that were abandoned as a result of agents’ reward-seeking behavior were redistributed, with lower-performing agents getting first crack at the best opportunities.

As Yang summarizes, "The exploratory activity of the high performers releases opportunities that the system channels down toward the weaker performers. Theoretically, this increases fairness while retaining individual choice and without constraining performance.”

“Our ‘fairness-by-design’ framework utilizes reinforcement learning, which is a type of machine learning (ML). But unlike most machine learning algorithms, ours includes multiple agents competing for finite resources in a dynamic environment, not a static one. That makes our paradigm much more structurally similar to many real-world environments in which various people compete over time for finite resources.”

—Jingyuan Yang, assistant professor of information systems and operations management at Costello College of Business at 91��

To test out the framework, the researchers used a data-set comprising detailed information on the job histories of 6.5 million professionals across a 20-year timeframe. “In the real-world data, we see a high degree of disparity, without very much redistribution of elite opportunities from relatively advantaged to disadvantaged employees,” Yang says.

The algorithm converted the real-world job information into opportunities offered to hypothetical agents. The resulting career paths were analyzed in terms of both performance and fairness. Performance was defined by aggregate rewards earned by all agents across all periods. Fairness was defined by the degree to which initial performance disparities were resolved over successive decisions.

The “fairness-by-design” framework’s results—for both fairness and performance—were better than those of eight alternative ML methods drawn from three different methodological families.

The researchers also adjusted the system to account for people’s changing preferences. Early-career professionals tend to value employer reputation and advancement potential; in late career, rewards pertaining to job stability and security are more salient. Even with these restrictions implemented, the framework functioned as intended—improving the average quality of overall career paths while fueling upward mobility.

In a follow-up study utilizing the New York Yellow Taxi Trip record database, the framework was tasked with generating route recommendations to hypothetical “agents,” i.e. cab drivers, with varying performance records. In this domain, the choice-set was much smaller (263 locations, as compared to 4,282 companies), and the timeframe far shorter (two hours as opposed to 20 years). As with the career-planning example, the taxi study found that more equitable distribution of high-quality routes led to higher average income per minute for the system as a whole.

“Because the framework proved adaptable to different domains and agent preferences, we think it could be used in future as a governance mechanism for a variety of AI contexts,” Yang says. Health care scheduling, course registration in higher education and provision of digital services are a few areas Yang sees as likely candidates.

While emphasizing that her research is still ongoing, she argues that it poses a serious challenge to standard ways of thinking about AI. “Our formal proof establishes the conditions under which fairness and performance reinforce each other, and our experiments show those conditions are achievable in realistic settings. That gives our work both theoretical and experimental grounding," Yang says.

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